COcyber Final Conference: A Unified Response to Multiple Threats - Building Europe's Cyber Shield Across Borders
Europe's digital landscape is under sustained and growing pressure. Cyber threats are no longer isolated incidents or technical inconveniences; they are strategic instruments deployed to destabilise democracies, disrupt critical services and undermine the institutions that underpin European society. From state-sponsored intrusions and ransomware targeting hospitals to disinformation campaigns designed to erode public trust, the threat environment has become broader, faster and more complex than any single country can address alone.
At the same time, Europe stands at a pivotal moment. The drive to translate ambitious policy frameworks into operational reality is gaining momentum, and a growing ecosystem of initiatives, platforms and cross-sector partnerships is beginning to take shape. Yet significant gaps remain, and the pace of collaboration has not always matched the pace of the threat.
This conference brings together policymakers, practitioners, researchers and innovators to take stock of where European cybersecurity cooperation genuinely stands today, and what it will realistically take to move forward. Over the course of the day, discussions will span the full breadth of the challenge: from the state of cross-border collaboration and the protection of democratic processes, to the operational realities of turning policy into practice and the strategic opportunities offered by dual-use cyber innovation.
The COcyber project has sought to contribute to this effort by building the evidence base, fostering dialogue and developing tools that support a more unified European approach to cyber resilience. This final conference is an opportunity to present those findings, stress-test them against the insights of a wider expert community, and collectively chart a path towards a Europe that is better equipped to outpace the threat.
08:30 – 10:00
European Cybersecurity Synergies Networking Breakfast
On invitation only
09:30 – 10:00
Registration and welcome coffee
10:00 – 11:30
Outpacing the Threat: Why Europe Needs a Unified Cyber Shield and How to Build It
This panel brings together expert perspectives to take stock of where cross-border cybersecurity collaboration in Europe genuinely stands today. Panellists will offer a candid appraisal of what is working, where the gaps lie, and what concrete steps are needed to foster greater cooperation across the continent. Alongside broader expert commentary, the discussion will feature grounded, first-hand insights from practitioners and policymakers who have navigated these challenges directly. The session will also connect these reflections to actionable policy recommendations, with the intention of moving beyond diagnosis towards a realistic and constructive path forward for a more unified European approach to cyber resilience.
11:30 – 11:45
Coffee Break
Parallel sessions
11:45 – 13:00
Session I: Need for Speed: From Policy to Practice in Strengthening Europe’s Cyber Posture
Translating policy ambition into operational reality requires collaboration across sectors, borders and institutions. This session shines a spotlight on the initiatives actively shaping cross-sector cybersecurity collaboration across Europe, exploring how different actors are joining forces to build a more resilient digital ecosystem. We will delve into later trends in cybersecurity from the experience of the COcyber project and a selection of collateral initiatives, sharing key findings, distinctive approaches and tangible results from the field.
Moderator: Alessandra Zini, COcyber coordinator
11:45 – 13:00
Session II: Safeguarding Democracy in the Digital Age: A Unified European Response to Cyber Threats
From disinformation campaigns and attacks on electoral systems to ransomware crippling hospitals and breaches of government databases, cyber threats strike at the very fabric of democratic life, eroding public trust, disrupting essential services and threatening the institutions that citizens rely on every day. This session examines how Europe can mount a response that matches the scale and complexity of these challenges, bringing together stakeholders from across the public, private and civic spheres to explore what a genuinely unified approach looks like in practice.
Eleonora Mongelli, Vice President Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU)
Elina Eickstädt, Hacker and Spokesperson, Chaos Computer Clubs
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 – 15:45
Dual-Use, Single Vision: Rethinking Cyber Innovation
The boundary between civilian and defence cybersecurity is increasingly difficult to draw. This panel brings together leading experts to explore how cybersecurity innovation can effectively serve dual-use contexts, examining the emerging technologies, collaborative frameworks and strategic approaches that are reshaping the field. Discussions will consider how Europe can harness the full potential of its innovation ecosystem to strengthen resilience, competitiveness and security across sectors, and what a coherent, forward-looking vision for dual-use cyber development might look like in practice.
Residence Palace
Rue de la Loi 155
1040 Brussels
Belgium
<p class="address" translate="no"><span class="address-line1">Residence Palace</span><br> <span class="address-line2">Rue de la Loi 155</span><br> <span class="postal-code">1040</span> <span class="locality">Brussels</span><br> <span class="country">Belgium</span></p>
Residence Palace Rue de la Loi 155
Brussels
Belgium
